Atlas/Africa
Notes In The Wolf Among Lions CtW, Carthage, Egypt and the Chremonidian League are all allied with one another. This means that together, they are capable of crushing the rest of the Greeks if not stopped in time. Fortunately for the Greeks, the Egyptians are compelled to an island-hopping campaign so it may take some time before they will arrive. The Egyptians are really only interested in killing off the Seleucids and the Macedonians with whom they start off as being at war. Carthage, on the other hand, is scattered everywhere, and it will take some time before Carthage can actually put its armies together for a mass overrun of the western part of the world. The majority of Africa's manpower and strategic resources are concentrated in the east, with supply centres located in Egypt, Africa and Agysimba. Notable resources include gold (Ethiopia) as well as Papyrus (Egypt) and Dye (Mauretania). For this reason, however, competition for manpower would be fierce but for the alliance between Egypt and Carthage. Carthage's main interest would be to expand northwards into Iberia and the Tyrrhenian Sea - especially into southern Italy - to take advantage of the number of supply centres located therein, although this would bring it into conflict with Rome and the Greek states. The Iberians on the other hand may possibly be at loggerheads at one another. If Carthage can play its diplomacy right, Iberia could become the springboard for an invasion of the Celtic lands to the north and east. The western half of Africa contains scant resources, but one interesting bonus card which can be found here is the Elephant Brigade card which allows you to begin a game with war elephants. Strategic resources Strategic resource Gold - Western Kush|link=Atlas/Africa#Western Kush Dates - Western Desert|link=atlas/Africa#Western Desert Papyrus - Aegyptus Superior|link=atlas/Africa#Aegyptus Superior Dyes - Masaesylia|link=#Masaesylia Slave emporion - Garamantia|link=Atlas/Africa#Garamantia link=atlas/Africa#Tibesti|Salt - Tibesti Olive oil - Cyrenaïca|link=atlas/Africa#Cyrenaïca Exotic fauna - Eritrea|link=atlas/Africa#Eritrea link=atlas/Africa#Paeninsula Sinaïtica|Gems - Paeninsula Sinaïtica link=atlas/Africa#Zeugitana|Glassware - Zeugitana link=Atlas/Africa#Aegyptus Inferior|Cereals - Aegyptus Inferior Aegyptus Paeninsula Sinaïtica *Corresponds to: Sinai Peninsula Despite its forlorn and empty landscape, this barren territory is a vital roadstead for Egypt's imperial ambitions: it has witnessed the business of donkey-riding traders and chariot-borne pharaohs of generations unknown. This land has is also the source of the precious lapis and turquoises prized by generations of pharaohs and viziers. Egypt *Corresponds to: Egypt Called Kmet by the locals and Aegyptus by the highborn Ptolemaic rulers, age-old Aegyptus is the ultimate prize for any lucky conqueror. Already blessed with ample food supplies due to the mud (after which the Egyptian speaking population have named their land after) of the Nile, Aegyptus has a substantial population and a booming economy based on the export of grain and commodities sourced from Arabia, Africa and India to boot. So Pharaoh, what more could you ask for? Aegyptus Inferior *Alternate name: Alexandria Ptolemaica Formerly known as Ra-Kehet, Lower Egypt is now dominated by the city of Alexandria, prosperous to a maximum degree and so sophisticated that it is worthy of being a dwelling for gods. The sires of Pharaoh were wise enough to seize this land for their own following the passing of Alexander the Great, its strategic location and fertile croplands allows it ample supplies and manpower to feed your armies. Aegyptus Superior The southern bend of the Egyptian Nile is a strategic waterway which connects Egypt to the interior of Africa and is therefore a vital trade route, apart from being the one place where papyrus also grows in abundance. Western Desert This desolate parcel of desert has more worth that meets the eye: somewhere in the dunes here is an oasis which is considered sacred to Serapis, the chief deity of Egyptian pharaohs. The oases are also known for the production of dates, which are able to withstand the harsh conditions of this territory. Political summary Factions: 50px|link=Ptolemaic Egyptians As undisputed overlord of Egypt, you rule over some of the most prosperous territories of the world, and also have the most tribute as well. Not only do you rule over Egypt itself, but you also have control over Cyprus and Judaea, forming a geographically contiguous region across the eastern Mediterranean. Your control over Egypt guarantees you access to papyrus as well as the use of an additional army, thanks to the supply centre in your capital, Aegyptus Inferior. Although it would seem ideal for taking out all the rebel territories around you such as the free cities of Cyrenaïca, there is but one issue — the Seleucids. Although smaller, the Seleucids are roughly as powerful as you and also border your lands, thus you will be hard pressed to defend your borders from them as they seek the extinction of your dynasty. The same can be said of the Greek kingdoms of Euxinia and Anatolia who share no love of the Diadochi ... or for each other, for that matter. Additionally, you must watch your Carthaginian and Chremonidean allies warily, for the Greeks of the north still rankle from the loss of their independence and will not take to having another king to rule all of Greece if Macedon should be eliminated somehow (and one of Carthage's hegemonic goals is control of Egypt). The Pergamenes, while being peaceful, should however be eliminated as a threat, although there is a diplomatic penalty for attacking other Greek factions. You should use your wealth to buy them over instead and turn them into a client state to unify Anatolia, gaining more tribute along the way. Fighting in Aegyptus is not something that can be said to be fun, especially if you are the defender. Attacking Aegyptus Superior always results in a revolt, with a native Egyptian force holding the city of Thebes in the centre (and the defender holding Memphis and Dendera). Both the principal defender and the Theban rebels must be wiped out together to seize control of the land. All told, however, Carthage is still your best ally if they can be prevented from turning on you, although there are also other factions to the far north in Europe who may be of political interest to you, particularly if they could somehow pull one on the Seleucids, who will certainly remain your worst enemy unless some other faction grows to rival them in power smack right on your doorstep. Mauretania Home to the many tribes Greek geographers have called Moors or Maures ("black ones"), they are dominated by the Gaetuli, who are thought to have their home stretching all the way to the southernmost frontiers of the northern African desert. Gaetulia Consisting of burning sand for its interior and a strip of coastal plain in the west, Gaetulia is also the home of herds of wild elephants which can be hunted or made a part of your own armies. Masaesylia Founded on the western half of the Atlas, this is the land of the Masaesyli, a Moorish tribe with trading ties to Carthage. The proximity of the Iberian territory of Baetica to the north has cemented Masaesylia's role as an important coastal territory. Maesulia Maesulia, the capital of the Maesulians, is the largest and most prosperous city of the Numidian tribes. Political summary Factions: 50px|link=Numidians Although fairly difficult, Numidia can be a rewarding faction to play with if diplomacy is taken care of properly from the beginning, otherwise Numidia will find itself surrounded by a ring of hostile enemies which it cannot hope to survive. Numidia's position seems initially challenging, but with some proper management of the situation it can be possible for Numidia to survive and even conquer its way into Europe, but only if it acquires the very one thing that all factions need to conquer: armies. This is somewhat difficult because Numidia is both shielded and hindered by Carthage's presence in both Iberia and the African regions. The first thing that the Numidian player needs to do is to forge an alliance with Carthage as soon as possible. This is because Numidia has a fair amount of tribute to begin with, and is also close by to Carthage. Without this alliance, it might well be possible for Numidia to be completely destroyed. Access to Carthage's armies also allows Numidia to perform overruns on barbarian territory. Use this to your advantage when you begin the game to annex vast swathes of Africa as soon as possible. The best way to go about it might be to overrun whole regions. Unify Mauretania before Carthage can interfere to receive the unification bonus of 65 tribute, as well as an Elephant Brigade card which can be sold. Since war elephants are available, just give the tribute and the cards away to another faction in exchange for another territory which has a supply centre, and use the army therein to invade somewhere else, or keep it ready when you attack Iberia. The next area to conquer should be Agysimba which should net 80 tribute (from the conquest of three territories), as well as 2 bonus cards, 2 rare resources and an extra army). On the other hand, the capture of Zeugitana, the Carthaginian capital can also be attempted, although the substantially high fortification level of Carthage's capital can prove to be difficult to surmount. Agysimba Garamantia Based around the desert city of Garama, the inhabitants of this land are ferocious chariot-driving slavers whose prowess are aided by their fearsome reputation and the underground sources of water upon which their culture has built itself. Salt and slaves are brought up by the barbarians of the dark heart of Africa to be sold by the Garamantoi who make their home here. Tibesti The deadly sands of this place belie the natural wealth and fertility of its mountain valleys which have been the home of various tribes ever since the dawn of civilisation. Hogaria In the midst of all the desert, life does exist and this mountainous place is a good example. The mountains provide a foothold for scrubland and oaeses to colonise, and thus it is a vital outpost deep in the midst of the African desert. Libya Although "Libya" in reality covers most of the sandy deserts directly west of the northern reaches of the Nile, "Libya" in Kings & Conquerors covers the three territories of Cyrenaïca, Tripolitania and Phazania which were never truly part of the Egyptian empire, as well as the Phoenician-held territory of Zeugitana. The sandy wastes of Libya are home to an odd mix of peoples: Greeks and Phoenicians have colonised the northern shores, while the original nomadic peoples of the land continue to haunt the desert wastes of Phazania. Zeugitana *Corresponds to: Tunisia Zeugitana is the home of Carthage, one of the greatest ports in the region and capital to one of the mightiest powers. Possessing one of the most strategic harbours in existence, it is no wonder that the city of Carthage has become a major power. Cyrenaïca Located in northeastern Libya, Cyrenaïca is an enclave of Greek colonies dominated by the city-state of Cyrene. Like all Greek parts of the world, civilisation has made a home on these shores, supported by the burgeoning trade in agricultural products and exotic commoditied from faraway lands. Tripolitania Tripolitania is a Phoenician enclave on the western half of the Libyan coast, and is a subsidiary of the Phoenician civilisation that has been in competition with the Greeks. Phazania Although it seems to be a complete wasteland, Phazania covers the strategic trade route between the sea and the Tibesti range to the south. Political summary Factions: 50px|link=Carthaginians The position of Carthage overall is one which favours quick and easy expansion. Like the Ptolemaïkoi, Carthage has seven territories — its home base in Zeugitana, the two island dependencies in the Tyrrhenian, the western half of Syracuse in the form of Ziz, as well as the entirety of Baetica Ulterior. Carthaginian access to these lands, particularly the rich islands of Korsim and Sardim have rare resources which could aid Carthage in its war effort. The rare resources of Carthaginian Spain also aid Carthage in dragging out more troops, which would be vital as the campaign develops. Carthage like the Seleucids and the Ptolemaïkoi starts off with two armies outright: the only problem, however, is how to use them. This is because there is no easy way for Carthage to menoeuvre on the map: the Tyrrhenian colonies are in Rome's way and also menaceable by the Gauls, while the interior of Spain is dominated by the Celtiberi and the Lusitanians. Nevertheless, although the northern territories in Italy could potentially see an invasion by Epirus or Rome, Carthage has a very strong triple alliance with Athens, Sparta and the Ptolemaïkoi of Egypt, which ensures that the eastern flank is secure. Carthage starts off with a Glass resource patch in its capital, which allows it to receive a decent bonus of tribute depending on the number of factions at peace or allied to it, ensuring that tribute can be built up fairly quickly as long as diplomacy is carefully managed. So this leaves the question of expansion. Carthage could easily intervene in an eventual conflict between Epirus and Rome, allowing it to claim the supply base at Liguria as well as the rest of Italia as a stepping stone towards achieving its hegemonic goals. Alternatively, it could find a means of accommodation or assimilation of the Numidians, Celtiberi and Lusitanians who are based in the west and north-west — the prizes for doing so are very high. Not everyone is happy to deal with Carthage, however. While even the Britons and the Arverni are happy to work with you, don't expect the other powers of Hellas — Macedon, Epirus and Achaea — to be so accommodating: it is no secret that they wish to "liberate" Sicily from Carthaginian tyranny. The only danger for Carthage, however, is that its lands are scattered everywhere and not well-developed: Carthage's initial two armies can't be used to defend everywhere at once. So a Carthaginian player in The Wolf Among Eagles may look to history for inspiration. Either Rome or the African and Iberian peoples will need to be pacified first, so that Carthage can concentrate on expansion in one area first before others. Once this is done, the other factions, especially the Greeks who are antagonistic with you, can then be dealt with. Ethiopia The harsh and burning sands of Ethiopia belie its vital role as a source of manpower and wealth for its owners. Western Kush This meander of the Nile in is host to land rich with mineral wealth, which formed the power and pride of Pharaohs past and present. The riches of Western Kush have also made nearby traders rich, thanks to its Red Sea links to Arabia via Saba. Eastern Kush From Eastern Kush, ships can be sent eastwards to reach the Arabian Desert. Passing traders have remarked that the local rulers through trade can field a very impressive military force. If we could take this area for ourselves, we could be guaranteed use of that military might to bolster our armies. Eritrea Eritrea is a hilly region encased in wild scrubland. Its position in Africa guarantees it trade with distant lands to the far south. Capture of this region should allow you an insight on new and unexplored territories yet to be discovered by us. Category:Atlas